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Red Roses player ratings vs new Zealand| Rugby World Cup 2021
By Matt Merritt
Heart break at Eden Park for the Red Roses, as an uncharacteristic loss at the line-out with the clock already in the red saw them lose their last chance to get ahead of the Black Ferns.
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Simon Middleton had some decisions to make with Hannah Botterman and Hannah Rowland ruled out due to injury and Leanne Infante failing a match day fitness test, but he will be proud of his team, despite the result.
So how did the Red Roses rate in defeat?
1. Vickii Cornborough 7.5/10
A key piece in England’s dominant scrum and a quiet, but key defensive presence for her team.
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2. Amy Cokayne 9
Phenomenal work rate, laser-accurate line-out throws and a hat-trick of tries reiterated why Cokayne has made the two shirt her own throughout the tournament
3. Sarah Bern 7
Not her busiest day in attack, but a relentless physical presence.
4. Zoe Aldcroft 6
Left the field before the end of the first half for an HIA. Good work rate as always.
5. Abbie Ward 7.5
Gasping for air in the final minutes, but once again dominated the line-out that set the stage for England’s rolling maul.
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6. Alex Matthews 8
Too often the unsung hero, her defensive shifts have been key in the knock-out stages of the tournament and today she once again showed herself to be the key piece for the Red Roses when they’re behind the ball.
7. Marlie Packer 7
Always a menace in defence and attack. Emptied the tank in her time on the pitch.
8. Sarah Hunter 6
The captain guided her team well, but was never really a factor in proceedings and looked a little slow in defence.
9. Lucy Packer 7
Parachuted in at the last minute due to Leanne Infante’s injury and carried herself well on the largest of stages, giving her team the quick ball they needed to get ahead.
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10. Zoe Harrison 7.5
Ever-reliable as a kicker and coming into her own as a leader within the team.
11. Abby Dow 7
Worked her socks off all game looking for attacking opportunities, and threatened whenever she saw the ball.
12. Holly Aitchison 6
A quiet game for Aitchison, who did what was asked of her without ever really making her mark.
13. Emily Scarratt 8
Her best game of the tournament, Scaz was dangerous ball in hand, kicked well and put her body on the line time and again.
14. Lydia Thompson 6
Red carded on 18 minutes for a head-on-head impact, nonetheless in her short time on the field Thompson was an attacking threat and a ruthless defender.
15. Ellie Kildunne 7
A try underlined Kildunne’s electric running threat, but she has become a responsible full-back too, playing her part in defence.
16. Lark Davies n/a
Joined the game in the last 5 minutes.
17. Maud Muir n/a
Joined the game in the last 5 minutes.
18. Shaunagh Brown n/a
Joined the game in the last 5 minutes.
19. Cath O’Donnell 7
The enforcer gave us a good reminder why she has that nickname, with some crunching tackles and heavy hits.
20. Poppy Cleall 7
Added punch to England’s forward corps in the second half.
21. Sadia Kabeya 7.5
Kabeya showed in her cameo why she’s talked up as a future great. Nonstop tackles and energy to burn, she lit a fire under the team when she joined the fray.
22. Claudia MacDonald 7
Kept up the tempo for the Red Roses with both her speed of ball and her well-timed runs.
23. Tatyana Heard n/a
Didn’t really have a chance to make her mark as a brief HIA replacement for Dow.
